Vehicle draft means



Aug. 29, 1939. R. N. JANEWAY VEHICLE DRAFT MEANS Filed Jan. 2, 1937' INVENTOR ROBE? Patented 1939 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFlCE- 2.170.: 24 vnmcnn DRAFT MEANS Robert N. Janeway, Detroit, Micln, 'assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich a corporation of Delaware I n Application January 2, 1937, Serial No. 118.764

16 Claims.

My invention relates to railway vehicle equipment and it has particular relation tothe draft means employed in connecting together adjacent railway cars or other Vehicles such as trucks; 1 trailers, and the like.

Myinvention is particularly directed to the type of vehicle interconnecting means disclosed in application Serial No. 118,814, filed January 2, 1937, .by Carl Breer, in which an interconnecting means located at the ends of the vehicle causes the forces transmitted thereby to have an effective center of application at any predetermined point within the vehicle, even though that point be materially removed from the point of attachment of the interconnecting means to the vev hi'cle.

The object of my invention consists'in providing a novel type of vehicle interconnecting means of the character indicated in which the interconnecting means adapts itself tothe relative po- For a better understanding of my invention,

reference may-now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which! Fig. 1 is a plan view, partially in section, ofa railway interconnecting device constructed in ac cordance with my invention.

' Fig. 2. is a cross sectional view ofthe structure I 35 illustrated in-Fig. 1, the view being'taken along d portion 28 of the carriage member 12 by means the line III-II thereof.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan .view ofaseries 'of railway cars coupled together by means 011 centthe end of the car body. The interconnecting means comprises generally a support II, a guiding device ll coupled "thereto, a carriage I2 -50 mountedon the guidingdevice I I, and a drawbar l2 having a coupling mechan'ism it. As here illustrated, the under surface of the endof the car body or coach, or the end portion of the railway truck, preferablythe former, is provided 5:. witha base or mounting II to which the support sitions of the two connected vehicles and changes its position automatically with changes in the 10 is secured by means of bolts l5, or other suitable fastening means and may also be keyed as shown at It. The support III is provided "at its other end with a yoke member I! having two laterally ex-- 5 tending arms I8-and l9,connected together by an intermediate portion 20. Secured to the ends of the arms l8 and Is by means oi bolts 22 or other suitable fastening means isa guide member 2|, the inner-surface 23 of the guide member 10 2| being arcuate in contour, the arc being drawn about a center 24 disposed within the body of the vehicle in spaced relation to the base l5 and support II. In like manner, the exterior surface of the intermediate member 20 is provided with 'an arcuate face 25 likewise drawn about the point- 24 as acenter.

Slidably mounted on the guide member 2| is the carriage member l2 which consists of upper and lower members 26 and 21 connected together on the exterior side of the guide member 2| by a main body portion 28, and connected together attheir interior ends by a substantially upright portion 29 having an arcuate interior face 30. Rotatably mounted between the upper and lower portions" and 21 are two lower roller members 3|,rotatably. mounted on pins 32, which are. dapted to'engage the arcuate face 23 of the uide member 2| when a tension is exerted on thedrawbar l3. These rollers being free to move,

permit the carriage member 12 to move freely on'the guide member 2| in accordance with the direction of the force exerted by means of the we adjacent car through the-drawb'ar lit.

The drawbar I3 is connected to the main body 0'1. aplvotal connection 33, the pivotal-axis of which is disposed vertically, or may be connected by a universal, especially where coupling It makes a rigid connection with the cooperating 40 coupling member of the next adjacent car. The

drawbar I3 is provided at its opposite end with the usual coupling member I! which should be of the rigid type so that when coupled to an adjoining'car the two drawbars and the attached couplings constitute a single rigid unit.

The arcuatetsurface 25 of the central member 20 is-provided with a layer offriction'inducing material 34 secured thereto which is adapted to vbe engaged by the exterion-arcuate surface of the 5 end portion 29 of the carriage l2 which may, if

desired, be provided with a layer of friction inducing material 35 when any forces from adjoining cars serve to place the drawbar it under compression. It will be noted that when the drawbar is in tension, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the rollers 3| are in engagement with the arcuate face 23 of the guide 2| and the arcuate face of the end portion 29 out of contact with the friction inducing surface 34 and is therefore free to move laterally of the car body in response to any relatively small lateral forces imposed thereon. When the drawbar I3 is subjected to compressive forces the carriage |2 moves bodily toward the car body a short distance so as to bring the arcuate surface of the end portion 29 into engagement with the friction inducing material 34 secured to the arcuate face 25 of the member 20 which, at the same time, moves the rollers .3| out of engagement with the arcuate face 23.

It will be noted that the inner face of the main body member 28 of the carriage I2. is spaced a,

sumclent distance from the exterior surface of the guide 2| that no contact is made therebetween under any circumstances.

In the structure illustrated in Fig. 3, two railroad cars 40 and 4| are disposed on a straight portion of a track 42 being drawn by a third car 43 disposed on a curved portion of the same track. The drawbars, as shown, are under tension and those between cars 40 and 4| are disposed in alignment with the centerline of a track 42 and likewise in alignment with a center pin 44, which constitutes the center of suspension of the front truck of the car 40 and the center aboutwhich the are 23 of the associated guide member is drawn, and a center pin 45, which constitutes the center of suspension of the reartruck of car 4| and also the center about which the are 23 of its associated guide member is drawn. The. draft means interconnecting cars 4| and 43 on the other hand is disposed within the centerline of the track 42 and in alignment with a center pin 41, which constitutes the center of suspension of the rear truck of the car 43, the center pins 46 and 41 again constituting the center about which the arcs 23 of the associated guide members are drawn.

It will thus be apparent that the carriages l2 i;

efiect transferred from the center of suspension of the rear truck of one car to the center of suspension of the front truck of the next adjacent car.

The advantage of interconnecting the centers of suspension of the'two. cars instead of the points adjacent the ends of the cars, as is now the common practice, resides in the fact that any lateral disturbance of one end of one car will cause the body of that car to move about thecenter of suspension of the truck at the opposite end of the car but will transmit no bodily movement to that center of suspension. As a result, a lateral disturbance of one end of the-car cannot be transmitted through the other end of that same car to any adjoining cars through the draft means.

Likewise, a lateral movement of one end of the car will cause a lateral shifting of the carriage I2 on the guide member 2| of that same end of the car and on the car to which it is coupled, thus preventing the transmission of any lateral disturbing forces from that car to the next adjoining car through the interconnecting means.

When any compressive forces are exerted on the drawbars |3 the end member 29 moves immediately into engagement with the surface 34 and remains in contact therewith as long as any pressure is exerted on the car body through the drawbars l3. This prevents the possibility of the carriage moving to an extreme left or right end.- position on the guide member 2| when the drawbars are under compression, as might occur if the carriage was free to move laterally while transmitting compressive forces as well as tension forces, and under which circumstances the drawbars might move into an angular position with respect to the car bodies of such degree that the stresses exerted thereon might be sufficiently great to cause damage thereto, and might, in addition, have a' tendency to move the ends of the car bodies to which the drawbars are connected laterally to degrees sufficient to disturb the comfort of the passengers. While the drawbars are under compression, the carriages will not move, unless the lateral forces become excessive, to align themselves between the centers of suspension of the adjacent car trucks but will .instead remain in substantially the position which they occupied when tension was last exerted. However, substantially no inconvenience to the passengers will be caused thereby as the distance over which the cars are pushed as compared to that from which they are'pulled is of negligible proportions.

From this description, it 'will be-apparent that relatively light construction may be employed as highly stressed members such as 2| and 3|, 32 are never subjected to any forces greater than those necessaryto pull the cars because when under compression, the highly stressed members are relieved of load.

'In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a slight modification of my invention in which the end surface 50 of the end portion 29 of the carriage |2 is provided with a serrated face which is adapted to engage a similarly serrated face 5|, either mounted on or cut into the arcuate face 25 of the central member 20 of the yoke ll. When the device illustrated in Fig. 4 is subjected to tension forces, the rollers 3| permit it to move laterally on the arcuate faceof the guide member 2| in the usual manner. When it is subjected to compressive force the generally arcuate surface 50 moves into engagement with the generally arcuate surface 5| to prevent lateral displacement of the carriage l2 under those conditions.

Although I have illustrated two forms which my invention may'assume and have described in detail a single application thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but that various modifications and changes may be effected therein without departing from the spirit of my invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: d V

- 1. In'combination, a vehicle, a coupling member draft means pivotally secured to said coupling member, and meanssecuring said draft amount of friction while exerting a generally lon-.

gitudinal force on said vehicle in the opposite direction.

. against lateral movement while the latter is under 2 In combination,a;vehicle, acouplingmemher and draft means pivotally secured to said .couplingmember. and secured to said vehicle, said draft means being movable laterally of. said. vehicle, means adapted to engage 'said draft meanswith a relatively'small amount or friction tensionand with a relatively greater. amount of to a relatively small amount of friction to lateral friction' against lateral movement while under compression.

3. In combination, avehicle, a coupling memher and draft means pivotally secured to said I coupling member and secured to said vehicle and adapted to move laterally offsaid vehiclejabout a point within said vehicle spaced from. the ,point' of attachment thereto, said-means being adapted coupling member and secured to said vehicle and adapted to move laterally of said vehicle about I a point within said vehicle spaced from the point compression.

adapted to be secured to of attachment thereto, means engaging said draft means and presentingarelatively small amount of friction to lateral movement thereof. when said draft means is in tension and to present a relatively greater amount of friction to restrain lateral movement when saiddraft means is under 5. Vehicle draft means comprising a member a vehicle and extending transversely thereof, a drawbar, and means for securing said drawbar to said member, said means being pivotally secured to said drawbar and adapted to cause said drawbar to move freely along said member while exerting a force thereon in one direction generally longitudinally. of the 6. Vehicle draft meanscomprising a member adapted to be secured to a' vehicle and extending transversely thereof; a drawbar, and means for securing said drawbar to said member, said means being pivotally secured to said drawbar and adapted to cause said drawbarto move freely along said member while under tension. and to prevent movement of said drawbar along said having an arcuate face and adapted to be. secured drawbar to move freely along said arcuate face to a vehicle, means .to be mounted on said member, a drawbar pivotally secured to said means, said means. being adapted to cause said her and draft means pivotally secured to said 9. Vehicle draft means comprising a member adapted to be secured to avehicle and having two oppositely disposed substantially arcuate faces,

a drawbar, and. means for securing said drawbar to .saidmember comprising a portion pivotally securedfto said drawbar and portions disposed -.adjacent each'of said arcuate faces, one of said last mentioned portions being provided with anti= 1 frictional engaging means adapted to engage one of saidfaces when said drawbar is in tension and another of said .last mentioned portions being provided with'friction inducing means adapted to engage the other face when said drawbar is pivotaliysecured to said drawbar and portions disposed adjacent each of said arcuate faces, one

' of last mentioned portions being provided with anti-frietional engaging means. adapted to en- Ease one. of said faces when said drawbar is in.

tension and another of said-last mentioned portions being provided with friction inducing means adapted to engage the other face when said drawbar is under compression, the arcs of said faces being both drawn about a center within the vehicle at'a point spaced from the point of attachend thereof and having an outwardly extending guide member provided with a substantially latwhile under tension and to restrain movement of a said drawbar with respect to said member while under compression.

8. Vehicle draft means comprising a member adapted to be secured to a vehicle and having two' oppositely disposed arcuate faces, a drawbar, and

means for securing said drawbar to said member comprising. a portionpivotally secured to said drawbar andportions adapted to engage said faces, one of said latter portions bei g provided .erally' extending arcuate slot therein, a drawbar,

and a carriage member pivotally secured to said drawbar and slidably mounted on said guide member and having a portion thereof disposed within said slot, said portion comprising antifriction means adapted to engage one arcuate face of said, slotand friction inducing members adapted to engage another arcuate face of said slot, and a drawbar secured to said carriage. vehicle and to restrain movement of said drawbar along said member while exerting aforce thereon in the opposite direction.-

12. Vehicle draft means comprising a member adapted to be-secured to a vehicle adjacent one end thereof and having an outwardlyextending guide member provided with a substantially laterally extending slot having two oppositely dlsposed substantially arcuate faces, a drawbar, and

a carriage member slidably mounted on said guide niember'and having a portion thereof disposed with in said slot and fitting loosely between said opposed faces, said portion comprising antifriction members adapted to engage one arcuate face of said slot and friction inducing means adapted to engage. the other arcuate face, said a members being so disposed with respect to said adapted to be secured to a vehicle adjacent one end thereof and provided with an outwardly extending guide member provided with a substantially laterally extending slot having two oppositely disposed substantially arcuatefaces, a

drawbar, and a carriage angularly movably secured to said drawbar and slidably mounted on .said guide member and having a portion disposed within said slot, said portion having anti-friction rollers adapted to engage one of the arcuate faces when said drawbar is under tensionand having a friction inducing member adapted to engage the other arcuate face when said drawbar is under 14. Vehicle draft means comprising a member adapted to be secured to a vehicle adjacent one end thereof and provided with a longitudinally outwardly extending guide member provided with a substantially laterally extending slot having two oppositely disposed. substantially arcuate faces, adrawbar, and a carriage angulariy movably secured to said drawbar and slidabLv mounted on said guide member and having a portion disposed within said slot, said portion having anti-friction rollers adapted to engage one of the arcuate faces when said drawbar is under tension and having a friction inducing member adapted to engage the other arcuate iace when said drawbar is under compression, the arcs of said arcuate faces being drawn about a center disposed within the vehicle in spaced relationship with the point ofattachment of the guide memome 'vehicle, "20

15. In combination, a vehicle comprising a body pivotally mounted on two spaced trucks, a member adapted to be secured to said vehicle body adjacent one end thereof in spaced relation to said trucks and having a laterally extending slot therein provided with two oppositely disposed substantially arcuate faces, a drawbar, and a carriage angularly movabiy secured to said drawbar and mounted on said member and having a portion disposed within said slot, said portion havin anti-friction rollers adapted to engage one of the arcuate faces when said drawbar is in tension and having a friction inducing member adapted to engage the other arcuate face when said drawbar is under compression, the arcs of said arcuate faces being drawn about the center of suspension of the adjacent truck as a center.

16. Vehicle draft means comprising members adapted to be secured to vehicles adjacent the ends thereof, interconnected drawbars, and means for pivotaliy securing said drawbars to said members, said means being adapted to cause said drawbars to slide on said members to positions aligned with the centers of force when the interconnected drawbars are under tension and to prevent the drawbars sliding on the members when the drawbars are under compression.

ROBERT N. JANEWAY. 

